By Silvio Hernandez, IPS, 17 July 1998. Controversy
raged over plans to establish a US-Panamanian Mulitlateral
Antidrugs Centre (MAC) in the Canal zone, as interested
parties fanned the flames of disagreement in talks already
suspended for two months.

The Panama News, [7 September 2000]. Fears
that the coming U.S.-funded anti-narcotics offensive in
Colombia (Plan Colombia) will drag Panama country into a
war in much the same way that Thailand was dragged into
the Vietnam War: as a staging area for U.S. troops and a
destination for refugees.